RMEF Donates to Effort to Collar Wolves

An extra $51,000 will fund federal wolf collaring and killing in Montana,  thanks to a contribution by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

“The payment is made to (U.S.) Wildlife Services,” said Montana Department of  Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesman Ron Aasheim. “We’re just involved in the  direction of how it’s used. We’re charged with managing wolves, and that’s what  they’ve offered – to provide money that’s in line with what we’re currently  doing.”  More here…

U.S. House Votes to Protect Hunting / Shooting on Public Land

(Columbus, Ohio) –With bipartisan support the U.S. House of Representatives today approved the most significant pro-sportsmen legislation in 15 years.  H.R. 4089, which passed by a vote of 274-146, is a package of high priority issues supported by every nationally prominent conservation and sportsmen’s organization.  The bill was supported by 235 Republicans and 39 Democrats.

Michigan H.R. 4089 Vote went this way:

Hansen Clarke (D-MI)Nay
John Conyers Jr. (D-MI)Nay
John Dingell (D-MI)Nay
Dale Kildee (D-MI)Nay
Sander Levin (D-MI)Nay
Gary Peters (D-MI)Nay
Justin Amash (R-MI)Yea
Dan Benishek (R-MI)Yea
Dave Camp (R-MI)Yea
Bill Huizenga (R-MI)Yea
Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI)Yea
Candice Miller (R-MI)Yea
Mike Rogers (R-MI)Yea
Fred Upton (R-MI)Yea
Tim Walberg (R-MI)Yea

Entitled The Sportsmen’s Heritage Act of 2012, H.R. 4089: Read more

Captive Deer Breeding

From Kip Adams – Kip’s Corner

During the past few legislative sessions one or two states each year initiated captive deer breeding legislation. QDMA opposed each on a case-by-case basis and urged our members to do the same. The 2011-12 legislative session was far different however, as 10 states ultimately debated captive deer breeding bills. QDMA opposed each and issued a national press release (http://www.qdma.com/news/qdma-urges-hunters-in-seven-states-to-oppose-deer-breeding-legislation) urging all hunters to do the same. This national release gained much attention across the hunting and deer breeding communities, and caused a flurry of letters, questions, and mis-guided comments. QDMA then issued a FAQ sheet on our stance on captive deer breeding to provide additional information on the risks of this issue and to elaborate on some points in our initial press release. The following information was included in that FAQ sheet. Read more

Spotlighting Black-footed Ferrets

KINGMAN, Ariz. – The endangered black-footed ferret continues to shrug off its near extinction as it climbs the steep hill toward recovery.   The small, specialist carnivore once numbered just 18 in the world when captive breeding efforts began in 1985. Efforts in Arizona’s Aubrey Valley are showing promise as this animal continues to baffle the odds makers.
Spring spotlighting efforts – the method used to find the nocturnal animal – resulted in

Read more

10,000 Birds Dead as “Everglades of the West” Dries

Washington –Officials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) are estimating that over 10,000 migrating birds have died so far this year because of reduced water flow to the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon and California. Officials say the final death toll may be close to 20,000 birds. Read more

Realtree Nursery Food Plot Trees Available at Wal-Mart

Realtree Nursery Food Plot Trees are now available at select Wal-Mart stores throughout the country. You can find Dunstan Chestnuts™, Sawtooth Oaks, American Persimmons and Native Crabapples in Wal-Marts in Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois. Read more

Swarovski Sponsors eBird Website

Ithaca, NY–The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is pleased to announced that the eBird website will now be sponsored by Swarovski Optik North America. The eBird program is a real-time, online checklist program, that collects more than a milllion bird observations each month from bird watchers around the world. (www.ebird.org) eBird data are visualized in charts, maps, and graphs which can be used by students, researchers, land managers, and conservationists needing detailed information about the numbers and distribution of birds. Read more

Michigan’s Elk Management Plan

By Glen Wunderlich

A new Elk Management Plan was approved by Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Director Rodney Stokes at the April 5 meeting of the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) in Lansing.  The plan incorporates an adaptive approach to management, whereby necessary changes to the plan can be implemented based on results.

Michigan’s current elk herd in an area north of Atlanta is the result of a release of seven animals from “various city parks and public institutions” in 1918 about three miles southeast of Wolverine. The herd grew steadily with estimates of 300-400 in 1939 and 900 to 1,000 in 1958.  The Department of Natural Resources (department) is officially charged with the management of resident wildlife in Michigan by virtue of a 1996 referendum requiring the department to use principles of sound scientific management in decisions relative to the taking of game.  With this in mind, the department has unveiled a new elk management plan with the following goals: Read more

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